A man allegedly behind the wheel of a stolen car which was involved in a horrific fatal car crash inside a school zone has been charged after he fled the scene.
Emergency crews were called to Windsor Road at Burnside, near Nambour, on the Sunshine Coast, after reports of two vehicles colliding, trapping a 52-year-old woman inside her Nissan Micra about 7.20am on Friday.
The 26-year-old Caloundra West man was the driver of the second vehicle, a Mercedes hatchback, and allegedly fled the scene.
Police allege the man was driving a stolen car he’d taken from a Landsborough home after threatening another man with a loaded firearm about 2am on Friday.
The Nambour woman died at the scene despite the efforts of members of the public rushing to help pull her from the wreckage, just near Burnside State School.
It’s understood the woman was an aged care worker who was on her way home from a night shift.
Sunshine Coast Criminal Investigation Branch Officer in Charge Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Mansfield said the man was arrested a short time later thanks to the help of a few good Samaritans.
“We had some excellent community members here in Nambour who have actually followed that alleged offender from the vehicle,” he said.
“They’ve observed him dropping property items along the way and then they followed him to a residential address here in Nambour.
Sergeant Mansfield said the man tried to get into another car at the Flinders St property but members of the public had blocked the car from leaving.
Police were called to the house and the man was arrested.
A gel blaster was also found at the property.
The 26-year-old man was charged with dangerous driving causing death whilst adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, driver callous disregard to deceased.
“It’s an unbelievable job they’ve done, they’ve clearly seen a horrific incident and seen a male running from there and somewhat taken matters into their own hands but they’ve significantly assisted us in our investigations,” sergeant Mansfield said.
While charges haven’t been laid at the time of publication, sergeant Mansfield said police will be alleging the man was driving dangerously and on the wrong side of the road when the two vehicles collided.
“It’s right on the edge of a 40km school zone, we’re going to allege it was at relatively high speed,” he said.
“There is evidence he was on the wrong side of the road at the time.
“It’s a pretty busy intersection around that area.”
Sergeant Mansfield said police assumed the woman was “going about her business” at the time of the crash.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police, especially if they saw the brown Mercedes driving between Landsborough and Burnside.
“There’s a lot of distance between those two locations so we’re appealing to the public to fill that gap for us,” he said.
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Detectives are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with vision from the incident to please make contact.
The man is also charged with entering a dwelling with intent, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, armed robbery, possession of shortened firearm, possession of a methamphetamine, carrying loaded firearm in public, possession of a weapon whilst under the influence of liquor or a drug, possession of explosive (ammunition), possession of utensil (pipe) and disqualified driving.
He will appear in Maroochydore Magistrates court on Tuesday.
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